Radiographs or X-rays are often taken during medical and dental procedures, for either diagnosis or treatment. Multiple X-rays are typically taken, which must then be grouped by patient and subject matter for subsequent viewing and filing. Since it is inconvenient to handle multiple X-rays separately, it has heretofore been common practice to secure them in a mount for convenience of handling and to complete a patient's file.
Various film transparency mounts have been available heretofore. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,555 shows an apparatus and method for mounting X-ray films by means of an assembly jig. This mount comprises two sheets of paper, cardboard or the like, one sheet of which has pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side thereof. Both sheets have identically sized openings or apertures, which are relatively smaller than the X-ray films to be mounted, and aligned jig pin holes. Assembly of this mount requires exposing the adhesive by removing a peel away backing, and then positioning that sheet on the jig with the adhesive side up. The individual X-ray film transparencies are then positioned over the openings and adhesively secured in place about their peripheries, after which the second sheet is aligned on the jig and adhesively secured to the first sheet with the X-rays sandwiched therebetween in the openings. This approach thus involves the use of a mounting jig and a series of manipulations to assemble the sheets and film transparencies into a mount.
Another approach to the mounting of multiple film transparencies is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,745. This reference shows a transparency mount wherein aligned die-cut areas of different sizes are provided in the two sheets. These are adhered together but left in place until just prior to use, whereupon they are removed from the side of the sheet having the relatively larger die-cut areas so as to expose a framed adhesive mounting area surrounding the relatively smaller die-cut area in the other sheet. The relatively larger die-cut areas can surround one or more openings. It is theoretically possible with this mount to remove several smaller die-cut areas from the other sheet simultaneously upon removal of one large die-cut area in the other sheet simultaneously upon removal of one large die-cut area in the other sheet. However, this requires additional time and attention. Usually, removal of the large die-cut area from one sheet results in separation leaving the smaller die-cut areas in place in the other sheet. Therefore, in practice this transparency mount generally requires either individual removal of each corresponding pair of large/small die-cut areas, or first removal of the large die-cut area from one sheet followed by individual removal of the smaller die-cut areas from the other sheet. Again, a series of manipulations are required to assemble the sheets and film transparencies into a mount. Also, it will be appreciated that the formation of different sized die-cut areas in opposite sheets from different sides involves tolerance problems and thus more complication and waste during manufacture. Leaving the die-cut areas in place also increases weight and thus shipping costs.
The transparency mounts of the prior art have therefore tended to require undue manipulation of various pieces to complete assembly. This, of course, is time consuming and expensive, particularly in view of the trend toward increased utilization of X-rays in various diagnostic and treatment procedures. A need has thus arisen for an improved X-ray film mounting that requires fewer assembly steps and is quicker and more convenient.